NORTH LITTLE ROCK FOOTBALL | Focus all on Central

North Little Rock closed out its stadium in a big way beating Marion 68-7 in a game that the Charging Wildcats scored seven touchdowns in the first quarter.

Coach Brad Bolding addressed the perception of running up the score.

“We scored 49 points in the first quarter,” Bolding said. “We pretty much played our [Junior Varsity] the whole second half.”

The Charging Wildcats make the short drive to Quigley Stadium tonight to play the Little Rock Central Tigers. When asked if the Charging Wildcats are overlooking the Tigers and into week 11, Bolding said his team knows better.

“We’ve learned our lesson,” Bolding said. “This team knows now and has been very focused on the task at hand.”

That task is simply being better this week than last week. Bolding said his team has learned from the home loss to Cabot that no team can be taken for granted.

Not that Cabot should have been taken for granted.

North Little Rock’s two setbacks in the Panthers and South Panola, Miss. have combined for one loss on the season.

The injuries that have plagued North Little Rock earlier in the year have waned a bit in the last month.

“We haven’t had any real injuries since the West Memphis game,” Bolding said.

After being smacked in the face with a pair of heartbreaking losses, watching key players go down to injuries, and trying to refocus, North Little Rock has feasted on inferior opponents in Searcy, Mountain Home and Marion. The lowest point total that North Little Rock has scored since their Cabot loss has been 30 against Jonesboro.

The offense powered by running back Deion Tidwell and receiver K.J. Hill has been complimented by a defense led by former quarterback Payton Holmes, who had another interception returned for a touchdown last week.

This week the opponent is markedly tougher and more athletic. What happens in the playoffs will have to wait until after the game’s final gun.

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